Thief in the Night
“…repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” (Revelation 2:5)
The Lampstand was the seven eyes of God, the flaming tongues of the Law given at Pentecost. Either we are judges or we are judged. An eye for an eye. Adam failed to judge rightly and Satan became the accuser, thieving Adam’s throne at the right hand of God.
Christ promises a future inspection. As prime mover, He sets things in motion then returns to measure Adam’s work on the next Lord’s day. Then we receive plunder, or He plunders us “like a thief.” If, like Adam/Solomon, we steal from Jesus, He will steal from us like Satan/Nebuchadnezzar (Matthew 13:12).
The warnings to the seven churches prefigure the greater judgments that follow in Revelation – upon the eighth church, Judaism. Jesus did come and remove the Lampstand. He came as Titus.
…”and the light of a lamp will shine in you no more…”
